Effort to Help Counties Reduce Prison Population with Mental Illness

Pennsylvania leaders are teaming up in an effort to reduce the number of people with mental illness in county jails across the commonwealth.

The Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Council of State Governments Justice Center are launching a statewide center — the Stepping Up Technical Assistance Center — to provide counties with support and resources to help collect data and track how well people with mental illnesses are receiving the treatment they need.

“The notion that we’re delivering behavioral health services and mental health services in the criminal justice system more than any other system is a national embarrassment,” Wetzel said. “We have to have the courage to start by saying that we’re doing a terrible job.”